STEPS Employment

Addressing Employment Barriers

Vocational Assessment

Job Search & Interview Techniques

Career Planning

Vocation On-The-Job Support

Employer Benefits

STEPS Employment is funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. This employment service is designed to assist clients with a mental illness to gain and maintain employment in the open labour market. Since 1989, STEPS Employment has provided employment support to people with a range of disabilities.

Entry Criteria

Be well or largely free of symptoms likely to reduce or impair your capacity in a work-place or training situation

Allow STEPS Employment to liase with your key workers

Be ready and motivated to pursue at least 8 hours of paid work per week. Require on-going support while in employment

Be a Centrelink allowance recipient

Be able to travel to and from work independently

Be free of illicit drug use/alcohol dependency or receiving specialist counselling and support

Referrals and how to join STEPS Employment?Contact an employment counsellor at STEPS Employment. We can answer any questions and send you an information pack. We invite our clients to our office for a meet and greet appointment to determine eligibility to the program and how STEPS Employment can help you. STEPS Employment can arrange for a Centrelink Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) for you. Otherwise, you may approach your nearest Centrelink office and request a JCA appointment. During this appointment you may ask to be referred to STEPS Employment at Sydney Counselling Centre.

Speak with an employment counsellor or contact Centrelink for more information about the JCA process.

How does STEPS Employment Service work?Once you have registered with STEPS Employment, we assess you and gather a great deal of informationto help you find suitable employment. We look at areas such as:

Vocational Assessment

Identifying employment barriers

Preparing a resume and letters of application

Identifying training needs

Preparing an Employment Pathway Plan

Learning how to market yourself to employers with our assistance

Practicing interview techniques/skills

Procuring volunteer work or work experience placements (if suitable)

Once you have a job, you may be eligible for on-going support from STEPS Employment to help you keep the job

Employer benefits

Free advertising

Free recruitment

Free work trials

Financial incentives i.e. Up to $1500 training subsidy

On the job support

Work in partnership with STEPS to contribute and create a better society